I’m so excited! I’ve been dying to get him onto the hunt field because I know he just would love the tradition and sport of it. Well now my trainer has a wonderful hunt horse who is like a big black couch that he could hilltop with. Just so cool.
We’re going to focus on a few more lessons and then hunt the second week of November and both ride in the hilltop field. Now just a couple of things to arrange: babysitter, clothing for husband (always taking suggestions/ideas etc.) and much $$ because I believe this horse is his equine soul mate and he is just bound to fall in love and want to bring her home.
We are going to look like Mutt and Jeff out there! We do anyway, but even more on horseback. I’m short and ride a 15.1 dun Connemara. He’s 6’3 and will ride a 16.1 moose of a Percheron cross, black. I’ll post pictures when the time comes!
Yeah!
Good for you!!! I know that is exciting!! I totally know what you mean, I am short and ride a 13.1 pony, and 15.0 horse… (is 15.0 considered a Hony??) Mr.EE’s horse is 16.1, because well, he’s a giant! 6-4 and needs custom everything. I had dressed Mr.EE all up, and he decided trail riding is more fun since he can wear jeans. Does your hubby need 14xw boots by chance?
Wow! No not a 14 unfortunately!
Glad to know there are other couples out there like us.
I found some breeches on Ebay, so checking those off the list!
[QUOTE=eventamy;2674939]
Wow! No not a 14 unfortunately!
Glad to know there are other couples out there like us.
I found some breeches on Ebay, so checking those off the list![/QUOTE]
Your husband will love it!! Mine just loves the horses, prefers the slower pace of trail riding, but the thrill of seeing your first fox… that’s priceless!! What was really cool for me, was hunting next to cotton fields, it looked like snow, and it was warm out! ( I am originally from somewhere where the cotton is already clothing.)
My husband doesn’t like to get much faster than a trot. He’s hunted a few times but it’s been years. We have matching horses. Mine is 14.3 and his is 16H. I’m 5’4" and he’s 6’1".
Here’s mine (hunting with beagles):
http://www.pbase.com/stl_don/image/85400667
And here’s his:
http://www.pbase.com/stl_don/image/65519611
Here you can’t even see her behind him.
[QUOTE=eventamy;2674690]
…my trainer has a wonderful hunt horse who is like a big black couch that he could hilltop with… much $$ because I believe this horse is his equine soul mate and he is just bound to fall in love and want to bring her home.[/QUOTE]
Hmmm, I’m not sure that said trainer would be willing to part with said large black couch…:winkgrin: Both of her pieces of large, black furniture are very popular and useful as guest mounts… We see at least one of them at each meet…
[QUOTE=Painted Wings;2675504]
My husband doesn’t like to get much faster than a trot.
And here’s his:
http://www.pbase.com/stl_don/image/65519611
Here you can’t even see her behind him.[/QUOTE]
LOVE the BEER CAN!
I’ve often thought saddle pads should have cup holders. The first time I ever went hunting (last year!) and a flask was passed around… I knew I had found the right horse sport.
Beware!
Best wishes with your hubby but be warned…sometimes it doesn’t work out. :winkgrin: Hubbys sometimes hate that the wife might just know a thing or 2 about hunting that he doesn’t…or about horses or riding or turnout or etiquette, whatever. And please don’t nag him about how he’s riding or that’s a killer. Mine lost interest after a coupla years of “advising” him! 
Actually he wanted to hunt but the horse part always frustrated him. Being a novice rider and foxhunter can be a loaded problem. And of course he blamed me but c’est la vie!
Hey Greg! Nope, didn’t mean Mo or Dee, although I love those girls too! I was talking about Gem, a horse Jess has in training who’s even bigger then Lucy’s girls! And she’s for sale, but I don’t think we can bring a mare home to our house with Captain here, being a stallion for so long he still thinks he is one! He loves Gem though, I’ve seen him do a pretty fancy Spanish walk around her and he put her right into season!
You’ll be seeing Jim and I in the hilltop field in November I hope! Captain and I even sooner I hope!
hubby will love it. My guy only started to ride 7 years ago to spend time with me- he’d rather be flying his plane. he hunted with me 6 months later- and in typical male fashion he loves it and is fearless.
he now guest hunts on saturdays with other hunts- while he hunts wed and sundays with our local hunt.
the key which it sounds like you have thought of- a good solid- trusty mount.
my guy and his buckskin horse- learned to jump together–in the hunt field…
“real men” dont DO lessons- in case you havent been told…
post the pics…
A man’s point of view
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time in the saddle was the best way for men to learn.
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small bits of advice from my wife, unless you want a fight.
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lots of video tapes.
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trainers are idiots.
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confirmation and athletic ability are more important than size. A big, poorly built, unathletic horse will not work well for a man. Men like performance things (cars, athletes, horses). Equis this month talks about this size thing. I am 6’ 4" and ride a horse who is a super athlete and has excellent confimation. He is only 15.2 hh.
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Just teach us safety first. One rein stops (always check the breaks first), how to read an angry horse, don’t walk behind them, check your horses health thoroughly, buy good equipment, etc.
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let men ride alone at first. We hate to look foolish. We don’t mind falling off a long as no sees us.
-find the right barn. Not all barns testoserone friendly.
Well, we went on a hunter pace last weekend and now my husband is making noises that he wants to hunt. Problem is that his riding horse, also my event horse, also one of my hunt horses is not the most predictable. (i.e., he bucked me off on Cross Country yesterday between jumps at an event). He’s never done anything with my husband up and rarely bucks in the hunt field. He’s a confirmed hunt horse, probably has hunted 40+ times in his life. Problem is when he does buck it’s with no warning and it’s a good one. He adds a little twist.
I have another retired hunt horse that is a slug and the safest thing you’ve ever met. He’s well into his 20’s and sound enough to go hill topping. We use him as a whip horse for one of the old ladies when we beagle. He was a lesson horse and a rental hunt horse at a public riding stable for years. Problem is I doubt my husband would want to ride him. (we’re into paints and this horse is a plain grey)
Then I have a five year old that is green hunting (5 hunts) and can get a little strong on runs but is getting better all the time. I plan to sell this one as his dressage will never be good enough for eventing. My plans were to hunt him enough to make sure he could be sold as a confirmed hunt horse. But maybe I should keep him in case his hunting continues to improve and my husband wants to hunt. He’s very predicatable.
So, I’m in a quandry of what to do if my husband really wants to hunt. Hopefully it will be after I can get the third one going well but if he wants to go to blessing I doubt he’ll be ready. Maybe I can talk him into taking the second horse.
I’d love to have him come out hunting. He used to hunt every once in a while years ago but then pretty much quit riding. The horse he used to hunt is now 31 yrs old. Now that he’s retired he’s started riding again but his old horse is not up to it. Problem is that he has really lost his confidence in the saddle and I don’t want him to have a bad experience. Our current huntsman is very aggressive (i.e. fast runs and minimum 3 hr hunts). Back in the old days we had quiet hunts that lasted 1 1/2 hrs. Since we now have more coyote than fox and a new huntsman and more American in our crossbred hounds the hunts are quite a bit faster and longer.
would usually say for the men- dont give them the lady safe plug- as they will quickly say that hunting is boring…most men are athletes…and like to GO…even if they dont know how to ride.
BUT- you say in your past right at the end- that he has lost confidence in the saddle- there is NOTHING worse for a person with confidence issues than to be overhorsed…especially in the hunt field- where when you go- you GO.
Id say then first time out- take the plug- and then let him decide which horse he wants to ride next- he’s a grown man- let him decide-
dont talk it to death though- tell him pros and cons of different horses for the field- and then let him just go and get whichever horse ready he wants to ride-
If he chooses the plug- dont embarrass him at the hunt by saying that-
guy perspective
if you finish the hunt atop the horse it was a good one
if you got to watch the hounds work, even better.
if you get a run with the hounds in full cry WOZER!!!
equipment is a key element, a big comfy saddle that keeps ones butt glued in
[big knee rolls and calf blocks too]
our club had a member for a short while and I once tried his saddle.
I could barely keep centered standing still and I can not imagine what the down hill canter we were on today would be like.
lots of hours on this new horse will help.
if one is confident of getting the desired speed reduction, all is well
Repeat in boldface: please don’t nag him about how he’s riding or that’s a killer.
Made the mistake of asking my ex to teach me to ride a couple years into our marriage. She was so overbearing and impatient that we had exactly two 20-minute “lessons.” The second ended in a heated argument:o, after which I had nothing to do with a horse for the next dozen-plus years. What a waste.
As GM says in his old beginners book, just because you know how to do something well doesn’t mean you have any ability to teach it to someone else. (And in general from what I’ve seen and heard it’s a risky idea for SO’s to attempt to teach one another most things.:yes:)
